Strategic Constraints
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Introduction 1.1 The capacity of the area to accommodate new development is governed by a wide range of issues, many of which manifest themselves at a detailed site specific level. There are however a number of issues which can be considered at a strategic (Council wide) level. This paper will consider these issues to provide an overall picture of the constraints on the area’s capacity to accommodate new development. 2. Environmental Topography/Landscape 2.1 Falkirk Council, while covering a relatively compact geographical area of just under 300 sq kilometres, has a surprisingly diverse range of landscape and topographical features. 2.2 A more detailed discussion on landscape character is provided in Supplementary Guidance SG09 but essentially the district is covered by 6 landscape character types. Starting at the Forth Estuary boundary there is a broad flat coastal margin adjacent to the Forth extending over much of the coastal length except from Kinneil eastwards, where the land rises quickly from the estuary. The coastal zone is backed by an extensive area of lowland river valleys, rolling farmlands and lowland hill fringes, with predominantly undulating topography. This zone in turn rises to a lowland plateau area to the south (generally 160m to 220m above sea level) and a significant lowland hills area rising to over 350m (part of the Campsie massif) to the west. 2.3 Extensive areas of the undeveloped coastal zone are subject to flood risk and are therefore not in principle suitable for development (see section on flood risk). The remainder is largely good quality agricultural land which development should avoid or is already heavily developed (at Grangemouth and Bo’ness) with very few vacant areas. Top tier Natura 2000 natural heritage designations along almost the whole of the coastal area also represent a considerable constraint to development options. 2.4 Most of the current extent of Falkirk’s built up area lies in the undulating river valley and lowland hills zones (Falkirk, Larbert/Stenhousemuir, Polmont/Maddiston, Bonnybridge, and Denny). The topography of this area is generally amenable to settlement growth and a number of potential urban extension areas offer themselves. However it is worth noting that the stock of sites which are relatively unconstrained by features such as steep slopes or water courses is diminishing – the best sites have already been developed or are covered by current allocations. 2.5 The upland areas present more constrained topographical circumstances, most obviously due to the prevalence of sloping ground but also because they contain a number of other constraining designations or conditions. The western upland area is almost completely contained within the Denny Hills Special Landscape Area, which in principle protects that area from extensive development. The southern upland plateau offers more development potential 1 topographically, but is also partially covered by the Slamannan Plateau/Avon Valley Special Landscape Area and subject to a wide range of other constraints, such as natural heritage designations, flood risk, high risk coalmining areas, and lack of supporting infrastructure, some of which are discussed in more detail elsewhere. 2.6 In summary the landscape and topography of this area presents an extensive range of constraints across considerable sectors of the district. In general terms only the middle zone of undulating river valleys/lowland hill fringes provides reasonable prospects for expansion of urban areas. This area, though, also contains an extensive overlay of green belt designations (see separate technical report) and the Antonine Wall World Heritage Site Buffer Zone, which further limit the options for expansion. Natural Heritage Designations 2.7 There are a wide range of designations related to the protection of habitats or species across the Falkirk Council area. These are graded within a hierarchy of protection from international to local importance. While it is intended here to concentrate on those designations of international and national importance, as they provide the greater constraint to new development, the map below covers all designations to show their considerable areal extent in the Council area and their relationship to the existing built-up area. Map 1: Natural Heritage designations 2 2.8 At the top of the hierarchy are the Natura 2000 sites with European level significance, the Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC). In Falkirk Council area there are 2 SPAs and 1 SAC. The largest by far is the Firth of Forth SPA (also a Ramsar site) which stretches along virtually the whole length of the Forth Estuary for a distance of nearly 14 miles, covering an area of 1,440 hectares. Any new proposal on or adjoining this designation has to meet the test of overriding public interest to overturn the presumption against development, and the extent of this SPA represents a major constraint to new development. 2.9 The other two Natura 2000 sites cover relatively small territories within Falkirk Council area, although are afforded the same level of protection. The Falkirk portion of Slamannan Plateau SPA is located in the Rural South area, at Tippetcraig, north-west of Slamannan and extends to 10.3 ha, (other portions in North Lanarkshire to the west of Slamannan adjoin the council boundary). At Black Loch, south of Limerigg, there is an SAC which is 2.5 ha in area which also extends further into neighbouring North Lanarkshire. 2.10 The next most important level of protection is the nationally important Special Sites of Scientific Interest (SSSI). There are 10 such sites within